NYSE$WLY

John Wiley & Sons Inc · Q4 2024 earnings

Q4 2024 earnings · · Investor relations

Briefing

Wiley's Q4 2024 results were reported, exceeding FY24 earnings guidance and presenting a confident FY25 outlook with GenAI momentum.

Wiley reported a strong finish to fiscal year 2024, exceeding adjusted EBITDA and adjusted EPS guidance, with adjusted revenue in the higher end of the range. The company is confident in its Research trajectory, GenAI momentum, and profit and performance outlook for fiscal year 2025, driven by robust demand to publish and significant output acceleration in Research, as well as continued outperformance in Learning. The company completed a GenAI content rights project this quarter and expects another to be realized in FY25.

  • FY24 Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EPS guidance exceeded; Adjusted Revenue in higher end of range
  • GenAI content rights project completed this quarter with large tech company; another executed GenAI project with second large tech company to be realized in FY25
  • Advancing Value Creation Plan with 2 of 3 non-core divestitures closed and $90 million of $130 million run-rate cost savings actioned
  • FY25 growth outlook driven by Research & Learning momentum and accelerated cost savings

Headline financials

Total Revenue

$468M

Previous: $526M-11.0%
EPS (adj)

$1.21

Previous: $1.45-16.6%
Adjusted Operating Margin

17.5%

No prior period
Adjusted EBITDA Margin

28.3%

Previous: 26.0%+8.8%
Research EBITDA Margin

34.6%

No prior period
Learning EBITDA Margin

43.5%

No prior period
Capital Expenditures

-$26.4M

Previous: $23.5M-212.1%
Net Income

$25.3M

Previous: $68.3M-63.0%
Operating Income

$68.8M

Previous: $82.5M-16.6%
Gross Profit

$332M

Previous: $352M-5.7%
Stock-Based Comp

$5.92M

Previous: $5.89M+0.4%

Revenue & EPS history

Wiley · Revenue · Quarterly

$468M

Q4 2024-11%vs Q4 2023
Beat estimate in 10 of 15 quarters(67%)
ActualEstimate

Revenue by segment

Wiley · $407M total across 2 segments · Q2 2024

  • Research
    $258M-4.9%
  • Learning
    $149M-2.4%

Forward guidance

Wiley provided its fiscal year 2025 outlook, excluding held for sale or sold assets. Adjusted Revenue is expected to be between $1,650 million and $1,690 million. Adjusted EBITDA is projected to be between $385 million and $410 million. Adjusted EPS is expected to be between $3.25 and $3.60. Free Cash Flow is expected to be approximately $125 million.

Tailwinds

  • Growth outlook driven by favorable trends and key indicators in Research Publishing, notably open access and institutional models
  • New business in Research Solutions
  • Strong momentum in digital courseware and assessments in Learning
  • Margin expansion outlook in line with previous targets driven by revenue growth and cost savings
  • Significant growth expectation driven by higher expected Adjusted Operating Income and accrued interest income from divestitures offsetting higher interest and tax expense

Headwinds

  • Higher interest and tax expense
  • Higher capex of $130 million compared to $93 million in Fiscal 2024 driven by the acceleration of its Research Publishing platform work and infrastructure modernization
  • Higher capex
  • Year-over-year swing in incentive compensation payments
  • Reinvestments to scale and optimize Research, modernize infrastructure and expand GenAI content licensing, capabilities, and product development

Historical earnings impact

How earnings announcements have historically affected this stock's price.

Avg. return before/after earnings

Based on 19 quarterly earnings reports · overlaid with Q4 2024

Historical avgQ4 2024

-1.0%

Avg return

Earnings day

+0.6%

Avg return

5 days after

+0.7%

Avg return

30 days after

44%

18 / 41 earnings

Positive

+15.1%

Q3 2025

Best reaction

-17.4%

Q3 2023

Worst reaction

Earnings price reactions
QuarterReport dateReaction (Day 0)+5 days+30 days
Q4 2026+4.1%+7.8%
Q3 2026+13.9%+20.2%+28.2%
Q2 2026-9.4%-18.6%-22.1%
Q1 2026-4.1%+5.2%+0.5%
Q4 2025+0.0%+12.7%+12.4%
Q3 2025+15.1%+23.3%+10.8%
Q2 2025-7.5%-7.1%-13.2%
Q1 2025-9.3%-9.8%+5.6%
Q4 2024+11.4%+9.3%+26.5%
Q3 2024+11.5%+12.8%+15.9%
Q2 2024-0.3%+1.2%+2.3%
Q1 2024+1.5%+2.3%-2.1%
Q4 2023-11.4%-10.8%-5.7%
Q3 2023-17.4%-18.6%-12.8%
Q2 2023-5.2%-7.8%-6.4%
Q1 2023-9.8%+0.8%-19.4%
Q4 2022+0.4%+7.2%+10.5%
Q3 2022-0.7%+3.6%+4.6%
Q2 2022+0.1%+0.3%+1.8%
Q1 2022-1.1%+2.0%-9.1%
Q4 2021-4.9%-12.0%-8.3%
Q3 2021-0.5%+7.5%+8.4%
Q2 2021+13.8%+18.8%+31.4%
Q1 2021+5.1%+3.6%+4.1%
Q4 2020-11.5%-0.3%-12.7%
Q3 2020+5.4%+2.1%-2.2%
Q2 2020+1.8%+2.3%+1.7%
Q1 2020-4.6%-1.3%-3.6%
Q4 2019+5.1%+5.8%+4.0%
Q3 2019-16.4%-13.6%-13.5%
Q2 2019+0.0%-6.0%-10.3%
Q1 2019-11.0%-11.8%-5.1%
Q4 2018+2.8%-1.5%-4.4%
Q3 2018+0.7%+0.0%-0.8%
Q2 2018+2.7%+7.2%+13.1%
Q1 2018-2.7%-2.1%-1.2%
Q4 2017+4.6%+2.3%+1.3%
Q3 2017-1.1%+1.1%+0.6%
Q2 2017+2.7%+3.2%+0.9%
Q1 2017-6.8%-14.4%-12.2%
Q4 2016-6.4%-3.5%+6.8%
Q3 2016
Q2 2016
Q1 2016
Q4 2015
Q3 2015
Q2 2015
Q1 2015
Q4 2014
Q3 2014
Q2 2014
Q1 2014
Q4 2013
Q3 2013
Q2 2013
Q1 2013
Q4 2012
Q2 2012
Q3 2012
Q4 2011
Q1 2012
Q4 2009
Q3 2011
Q3 2010
Q2 2011
Q1 2010
Q2 2010
Q4 2010
Q1 2011

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